Chords + Lyrics | Master Blaster
Intro
||: N.C :|| x6
||: Cm | Cm Bb | Ab | Ab G |
| F | F | Cm | Bb :|| x3
Verse 1
| Cm | Cm Bb | Ab | Ab G |
Everyone’s feeling pretty, it’s hotter than July.
| F | F | Cm | Bb |
Though the world’s full of problems, they couldn’t touch us even if they tried.
| Cm | Cm Bb | Ab | Ab G |
From the park I hear rhythms, Marley’s hot on the box.
| F | F | Cm | Bb |
Tonight there will be a party, on the corner at the end of the block.
Chorus 1
||: Cm | G | F | F :||
Didn’t know you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
I said nobody ever told you that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
You would be jammin’ and jammin’ and jammin’, jam on.
Instrumental 1
||: Minor pentatonic riff 1 :||
Verse 2
They want us to join their fighting, but our answer today,
is to let all our worries, like the breeze through our fingers slip away.
Peace has come to Zimbabwe, third world’s right on the one,
now’s the time for celebration, ’cause we’ve only just begun.
Chorus 2
Didn’t know that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
Bet you nobody ever told you that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
I bet you nobody ever told you that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
I know nobody told you that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
We’re jammin’, jammin’, jammin’, jam on.
Instrumental 2
||: Minor pentatonic riff 2 :||
Solo
| Cm | Cm Bb | Ab | Ab G |
| F | F | Cm | Bb |
Verse 3
You ask me am I happy, well as matter of fact,
I can say that I’m ecstatic, ’cause we all just made a pact.
We’ve agreed to get together, joined as children in Jah.
When you’re moving in the positive, your destination is the brightest star.
Chorus 3
You didn’t know that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
I bet you nobody ever told you that you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Oh, Oh, Oh… you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Don’t you stop the music, oh no…
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Na, na na… Nobody told you…
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Oh, Oh, Oh, you, would be jammin’ until the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
I bet you if someone approached you yesterday to tell you that you would be jammin’ you would not believe it because you never thought that you would be jammin’.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, jammin’, ’til the break of dawn.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Oh, Oh, You may as well believe what you are feeling because you feel your body jammin’.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Oh, Oh, you would be jammin’ until the break of dawn, oh, woo-hoo.
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Baby, baby…
(We’re in the middle of the makin’s of the master blaster jammin’).
Master Blaster Backing Track | Chord Analysis
The backing track above was recorded live in the studio. Use it together with the chord chart below to prepare for performing Master Blaster with a band.
In the course, we loop each section so you can explore different areas of the neck. We break down the verse and chorus sections using TAB examples to help you build a strong foundation.
We also study the legendary instrumental break in depth—scroll down for a preview of how that works in the course.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
Master Blaster breaks all kinds of harmonic rules. The descending verse progression revolves around a minor chord, while the surrounding chords are major—creating ambiguity around whether the tonal centre is chord VI or II.
This blurred line between Aeolian and Dorian modes gives Master Blaster its distinctive sound.
Normally, we’d look to the vocal melody to clarify the mode, but here both the vocal and instrumental parts are based entirely on the C minor pentatonic—offering no clear modal clues.
Verse
Cm could function as either chord VI or II. There’s no obvious pivot point where the mode changes—try hearing both interpretations and notice how the mood shifts.
Cm as Chord VI:
||: Cm (VI) | Cm Bb (V) | Ab (IV) | Ab G (IIIx) |
| F (IIx) | F | Cm (VI) | Bb (V) :||
Cm as Chord II:
||: Cm (II) | Cm Bb (I) | Ab (bVIIx) | Ab G (VIx) |
| F (V) | F | Cm (II) | Bb (I) :||
Chorus
The chorus is slightly easier to interpret, but still plays with our harmonic expectations. Depending on your ear, Cm could be heard as chord Im, II, or VI.
As chord Im (with a temporarily minor I chord):
||: Cm (Im) | G (V) | F (IV) | F :||
As chord II (a II – V with a VIx passing chord, much like I Heard It Through the Grapevine’s verse):
||: Cm (II) | G (VIx) | F (V) | F :||
As chord VI:
||: Cm (VI) | G (IIIx) | F (IIx) | F :||
Here’s a chord chart:
Master Blaster Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Here’s a simplified chord chart: Master Blaster chord chart PDF
iReal Pro file: Master Blaster iReal Pro
This version doesn’t show the number of verse repetitions, but since every verse is followed by a chorus, you won’t get lost.
Master Blaster is all about jamming. In a live setting, your band may even deviate from the original structure—don’t be afraid to go with the flow!
Below is a full performance of the song, followed by a preview of how we work with this song in the course. The main goal is to play every section—especially the instrumental—all over the neck using a range of chord shapes.
Master Blaster TAB | Course Preview
In the step-by-step course, I’ll guide you through playing all of Master Blaster’s parts across the neck using the CAGED system.
We’ll build rhythm parts for both verse and chorus. With these in place, you’ll soon be able to improvise freely—true to the spirit of jammin’.
We also take a deep dive into the iconic instrumental sections. Below is a TAB preview for the first instrumental figure, written in the Em shape. In the course, we play it in all five CAGED positions.
Start with the Em shape—it’s the most accessible entry point.
Once you’ve internalised this across the fretboard, learning the second instrumental break will come naturally.
The course also includes play-along TAB loops for the verse and chorus.
Here’s a link to the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Master Blaster – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
A Tribute to Bob Marley
Master Blaster (Jammin’) is a single from Stevie Wonder’s 1980 album Hotter Than July, written as a tribute to Bob Marley.
The two legends first met at a benefit concert for the Jamaican Institute for the Blind in 1975. Along with sharing the bill, they performed I Shot The Sheriff and Superstition together.
Master Blaster spent seven weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts and has become a must-learn tune for musicians—largely due to its two intricate minor pentatonic instrumental sections.
For a professional soul guitarist, knowing how to play Master Blaster flawlessly is essential—it’s a standard in the genre.
Hotter Than July was likely Stevie Wonder’s last truly great album. Apart from Part-Time Lover from In Square Circle (1985), little from his later work matched the quality found here—though the production of In Square Circle left much to be desired.
Stevie’s golden era began in 1968 with For Once in My Life and lasted 12 years, producing some of the most outstanding music by any artist, ever.
Master Blaster Chords: Continue Learning
The final series of lessons are done around Stevie Wonder’s masterpiece Master Blaster (Jammin’). As the title suggests, this is all about improvisation.
As a bonus, you’ll know that when you can play the instrumental sections, you know your minor pentatonic well enough.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Master Blaster – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: